The ability to mount equipment on a pole, rail, dock or tree, such as a fishing rod holder, can be very difficult due to the nature of the attachment, and the diameter of the pole may vary from one location to another. Currently, specialized brackets are needed to fit specific diameters of poles or docks, and these devices require a permanent mounting process.
Many current methods of attaching existing devices to support structures (e.g. trees, docks, rails, poles, bridges, or posts) also must be bolted, drilled or tied using permanent or non-releasable means in order to ensure stability. These methods may damage the chosen structure or the gadget itself, and will not be as stable or as durable to withstand repeated uses within harsh and weathered environments. Other devices, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,461, do not provide durability or stability, or the ability to attach more than one device at a time.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below, there is a need for a mounting device that can be used with different structures of various configurations and that is capable of retaining more than one device, that is simple to mount, simple to remove, provides a number of different mounting options, and does not damage the surface to which it is attached.
In accordance with common practice, the various described features are not necessarily drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevant to the present invention. Reference numbers may denote similar elements throughout figures and text.